As the Seattle Seahawks gear up for a high-stakes playoff showdown with the San Francisco 49ers this Saturday, the focus inside the building is squarely on advancing. But outside of it? The buzz is growing louder-and it’s centered around offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak has been one of the hottest names in coaching circles this season, and now he’s reportedly emerging as a top candidate for the Atlanta Falcons’ head coaching job. According to NFL insider chatter, there's growing belief that Kubiak could be the guy Atlanta turns to next-especially with former Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan reportedly involved in the hiring process and favoring a coach from the Shanahan coaching tree. That connection makes sense: Kubiak’s system fits the mold, and it could be tailor-made for a young quarterback like Michael Penix Jr., who’s still trying to prove he can be the long-term answer in Atlanta.
Let’s be clear: Kubiak’s rise isn’t a surprise. He’s earned this attention.
In his first year calling plays in Seattle, he helped the Seahawks offense surge to third in the league in scoring (28.4 points per game), seventh in total yards (362.3), and eighth in passing yards (228.1). And he did it with a quarterback carousel that included Sam Darnold, who turned the ball over 20 times.
That’s no small feat. Despite having the second-most turnovers in the league (28), the Seahawks kept piling up points-proof of a system that works and a play-caller who knows how to adapt.
That kind of production is exactly what a team like Atlanta is looking for. The Falcons have a strong young core on offense, headlined by Bijan Robinson and Drake London.
Even if they move on from Kyle Pitts, there’s enough talent in place to build something special. What they need now is a coach who can maximize that potential-and Kubiak fits the bill.
Of course, for Seattle, this is the double-edged sword of success. When you build a strong staff, the rest of the league notices.
And with Mike Macdonald in his first season as head coach, there’s a good chance this won’t be the only assistant drawing interest. Retaining the full staff into next year feels unlikely-and losing Kubiak would be a significant blow.
Still, if the Seahawks make a deep playoff run-or even win it all-it’ll be a trade-off they’ll gladly accept. That’s the cost of doing business when you’ve got one of the most forward-thinking coaching staffs in the league.
For now, the focus stays on San Francisco. But once the season ends, the coaching carousel could start spinning fast in Seattle.